Wright State’s Mark Anderson interviews Steve Wozniak for the Presidential Lecture Series

Mark Anderson, left, listens as Steve Wozniak shared stories of the early days of Apple, as well as his struggles and successes in the pursuit of innovation with his partner Steve Jobs.

Wright State University hosted Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak for its 2015 Presidential Lecture Series and Honors Institute Wednesday, Feb. 4. Instead of the traditional lecture format, Mark Anderson, director of web development and strategy in the Office of Marketing, shared the stage with Wozniak and conducted the interview — an experience that he’ll never forget.

Question: Mark, what was it like to interview Steve Wozniak?

Anderson: Interviewing Steve Wozniak was an amazing opportunity that was quite fun and an amazing learning experience. This was my first time speaking to a large public audience and an incredible honor to be able to do so with the The Woz.

Q: You got to know him a little bit during his visit. What is he like?

Anderson: I had the chance to chat with Steve during dinner before the event and he was quite personable and down to earth. It’s obvious he has a passion for telling technology stories and is relatable in his delivery.

From left: Mark Anderson, director of web development and strategy at Wright State; Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak; and Wright State University President David R. Hopkins on stage for the Presidential Lecture Series with Wozniak.

Q: Why were you chosen to interview Wozniak?

Anderson: I have been working at Wright State for 17 years and have spent an equal number of years discussing Apple with anyone who would listen. I can only assume my reputation preceded me.

Q: How did your background as a web development professional help you interview?

Anderson: As a web developer one of our most powerful tools we have is asking the right questions at the right time. Understanding the desires and motivations of our colleges, departments and offices is paramount to building websites that correctly align the university’s needs with those of our users.

Q: Did you take any special steps to prepare for interviewing Wozniak?

Anderson: I worked closely with the President’s Office, Steve’s people and my co-worker Nate Jorgensen to bounce ideas and craft the questions. Nate’s writing skills and ability to explore ideas were crucial to helping me get the questions applicable to a broader audience.

Q: This is the first time the Presidential Lecture Series has used an interview format. Why do you think that format was a fit this time in contrast to the standard format?

Anderson: It’s my understanding that the idea came about as part of the early discussions between the President’s Office and Steve’s people.

Q: You used some questions submitted by the audience. Which one was the best?

Anderson: I really enjoyed the question by Bharath Ramini: “What qualities does one look for in people when trying to find partners to make an idea a reality?” Steve’s answer was that you need to find people with the skills you do not have at the times you most need them. As someone who has hired many people over the years, this is often a harder task than it might seem at first.

Q: Which answer(s) by Wozniak did you find the most memorable?

Anderson: At dinner Steve mentioned that as he travels from city to city he often hears the same “new” ideas for some invention, app or technological concept coming from different parts of the planet nearly simultaneously. He made a clear point in that the group that succeeds in developing the idea is almost never the first with the idea or even the second, but is the group (or person) that can make the idea a reality and (usually) slightly better than everyone else. It’s very hard to have a truly original idea and even harder to execute one that many people are competing to achieve.

Q: Steve Wozniak is an innovator and Wright State values innovation. Was it a no-brainer for Wright State to host him?

Anderson: Yes, I think our community has many things we can learn from innovators like The Woz.

Q: Why is it important for universities like Wright State to host speakers like Steve Wozniak?

Anderson: I believe this level of event helps to differentiate us from our regional peers and to raise our national exposure. The fact that these events are free to the public gives our community a chance to experience Wright State University on our campus while also providing an inspiring evening of entertainment.